Life of Samuel of Kalamun

THE ARABIC LIFE OF
ANBA SAMAWTL OF QALAMUN*

This text, published here for the first time, belongs to the Franciscan
Centre of Christian Oriental Studies 1 . The following description of the
manuscript containing it is taken from William F. Macomber, Catalogue
of the Christian Arabic Mss of the Franciscan Center of Christian Ori-
ental Studies, Muski, Cairo (Jerusalem: Franciscan Printing Press
[1985]) p. 31:

140 - 20.7 x 16.8 cm., 16 to 21 lines, 50ff., dated p. 89 1 Babah
1662 AM/11 October 1945 AD

1) pp. 7-61 : Life of Anba Samuel of Qalamun. Cf. Graf, GCAL I, 280 ff.

2) pp. 62-89: Exhortation of Anba Samuel to his Disciples

3) pp. 90-92: World Chronology

It may be added here that there is a date at the end of the text, indicat-
ing that it was completed on 19th Thoth 1662 AM/ 29th September 1945
AD.

There are two different paginations: one in the same hand that wrote
the text and one, just above, in what is probably a different hand that is
certainly using a different pen, in Arabic numerals. They do not corre-
spond with one another. The page numbers given in Macomber 's cata-
logue entry refer to the Arabic numerals. The page nos. given below in
the translation are the numerals of the Arabic text, in which there is an
error: the writer of the text has jumped from p. 40 to p. 42, but there is
no omission in the text itself.

The text begins on p. 2. At the top is a sort of decorative canopy, im-
mediately below which are the words cyN eecu. The punctuation is for
the most part a simple point, but at irregular intervals there also occurs
•:■, apparently denoting the end of a section. There are also crosses to in-
dicate the end of sections in the latter part of the text.

The Life survives in a complete Coptic version 2 and a complete
Ethiopic version 3 . The Arabic version 4 is in many instances much closer

* I am very grateful to Prof. E. Tawfik of the University of Kassel for reading the text
and translation and for his numerous corrections.

1 I am grateful to the Director of the Centre for permission to publish the text
Pierpont Morgan Ms 578 cf. A. Alcock, The Life of Samuel of Kalamun
(Warminster, 1983).

3 F.E. Pereira, Vida do Abba Samuel (Lisbon 1894).

4 Of unknown authorship and provenance.

322 A. ALCOCK

to the Ethiopic 5 , but has passages which show that the writer was famil-
iar with some of the tradition that has gone into the Coptic version and
been omitted from the Ethiopic version, and reference will be made to
this material in the footnotes, e.g. no. 52. It is possible that the writer of
this text was familiar with the contents of the Coptic version from the
Pierpont Morgan text and has incorporated some details from it into his
translation of the Ethiopic, but I suggest that this is unlikely 6 . I suggest
that the present Arabic version, though undoubtedly a very late copy, is
ultimately based on the original Coptic version and that the process of
transmission of the text is Coptic-Arabic-Ethiopic 7 . The translation pre-
sented here is made from the Arabic Version.

Zobelmiihlenweg 28
D-34123 Kassel
R.F.A.

Anthony Alcock

5 In "Christian Arabic Mss of the Muski" BSAC25 (1983): 98 W. Macomber suspects
that the Arabic is based on the Ethiopic.

6 The Pierpont Morgan manuscript has been in the USA since c. 1911, the photo-
graphic (or xerox) edition of the text is (as far as I know) not available in Egypt, and the
Sahidic dialect of the Coptic text, unlike Bohairic, is not widely known among modern
Copts.

7 Prof. C.D.G. Muller informs me (letter of 13.9.95) "dafi koptische Literatur nur in
vohergehender Ubersetzung in das Athiopische gelangte".

THE ARABIC LIFE OF ANBA SAMAWTL OF QALAMUN 323

.o^ljJI *JV1 a-* Jill qMj v^ 1 r~; w
j-jj-w ui Ji^di c i ui %J ^a\ u>« Sjr- cr< ^^ ^-^ ^ u ^ ^ ^"^

^iTJu fJi ^ J^-l ^A\ U>- .OjUSJIy.J, 5/.IWI S-U~U ^Jl i-Jiil iS>JI ^j

iS>Jl ^1 J-yjH-^ Lil j-^ 1 .iL-LJI ^^ l <> JU *^ 1 ;L *^ ^ u-*^ r^
UjU i^L^Jl JUil /Jb |y>UH ^ .o^UiiL «M SjJI, »IjJiJI S.uJly..

-Jill

^.jui »m> . ^)\ j j-ir ^jj (H-V ^J ^ u^ 1 *^> ■ ^ u < r >

(p. 2) With God
In the name of the Father, and the Holy Spirit, the One God. We begin
with the help of God the Exalted. His guidance has been propitious in
copying the life of our holy father, the solitary ascetic Anba Samawll,
leader of the holy community that belongs to the Immaculate Lady in the
monastery of Qalamun, recorded by the priest Ishaq on the day of his
remembrance, which is the 8th of Klhak in the peace of the Lord, my
brothers. Amen. Ishaq was in this same monastery 8 .
My conscience has frequently been moved in great longing and in spir-
itual solicitude my heart has contemplated the recording of the life of the
great father. He was truly on intimate terms with God, the warrior monk,
the great ascetic, Anba Samawll, the father of the holy community in
the monastery of Our Lady the Virgin, the Mother of God, in Qalamun.
For they have beamed in the remembrance of his blessed deeds, our holy
fathers who

(p. 3) were witness, those who passed at that time their whole life and
hope in the Lord, those who were contemporaries of the great Anba
Samawll and who lived with him and saw him with their eyes and heard
him with their ears and touched him with their hands. And they got to
know everything and searched for reliable testimonies for their grand-

8 The introduction is similar to but not the same as the Coptic. The Ethiopic has no
comparable introduction.

^jj-l W IJugjj . UjLI LUs-j
^ tjjj— > ^>-j ^-^j -c^ 31

^ c-l>,-» o^JL. ,y <c£_ Jj . MJi-l< «OJii Vj ^— ^ ^J -Jr*- tr - /"

children they who are our fathers, they who were with them. And they
instructed them in everything, just as it is written in David the Prophet ,
"As we have heard and have known and our fathers have told us' . In
this I the miserable one 11 , believed in the truth and was confirmed in what
my fathers testified about our holy father Anba Samawll, this one whom
we are celebrating today. For I have heard about his virtues and upright-
ness that perfect one who is like the great Antunius, especially m that the
light of his life shone like the great morning star. And for this reason my
conscience has reproached me many times, saying, "What is the use of a
miserable person like you, that he should enter a great sea and is unskilled
in swimming? Let the one who wants to progress to knowledge about the
saints be wise and of high intellect, one of very strong faith

(p 4) among the saints. But because of the feast day and the remem-
brance of Anba Samawll, I have started at the beginning of his life (and
gone) to the end.

This holy Anba Samawll was of a pure family from the people oi
Ankaluba 12 from the bishopric of MasTl. But this was not his home or his
village in truth. Rather his home was rightfully in the kingdom of
heaven, in the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the true king Jesus Christ.

» Usually known as the Psalmist, but is also associated with prophecy e.g. "The Life
of John Kame" ed. M.H. Davies, Patrologia Orientate 14 (1920) fol. 94 v.

n The same phrase, with reference to himself, is used later (Arabic p. 15).

« Corresponds to Coptic TKeAAO, of which the modem Arabic form is Dakluba.

THE ARABIC LIFE OF ANBA SAMAWTL OF QALAMUN

Utf, .^>JI

til J-fVl p*U«*l (jdOjl *Nj* .ULw-Tol p-lj ,j*'

.^ -

-I L»-Jl> -J <ol 4JLP ^LlSLlI J14J0 (£.111 IJL* Ji-WaJl «--»j4l J^> JJ-^i ,>* <J^

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!^-r J;

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0,1 -jjci .1^ y>ji* (Jj LJ- JA; (4?

. jLgJI Jjip ^1 Lub pjr&j <ubl/L* 5^Jl

{S JLA LSI Jji olT Jj pj-Jl t>Aii ^

L-Juail ^~JI u-j" 1 ^ °J^JL>- "^ jlr* iJ * ^

The saint was the son of a faithful man called Silas and a mother called
Kosmiana, whose gift was the holy blessed Gospel 13 . They were like our
father the patriarch Abraham 14 : they distributed most of their wealth to the
poor and needy, and their door was open to everyone who needed, like the
righteous Ayyub, about whom the Book witnessed that nobody entered his
house and came out empty-handed 15 . News of their wealth spread among
the poor of their town. The holy Silas and his blessed wife, when ad-
vanced in their days in a blessed old age, had no children except for the
holy Samawll. He was at that time a boy of twelve years, and he was a

(p. 5) sub-deacon 16 . His parents instructed him in chastity, like
Yussuf the son of Ya'qiib 17 . He was 18 confined to the church all the time,
fasting continuously until evening of the day. He did not eat meat or
drink wine. His parents approached him a number of times, to persuade
him to marry, according to the sacred law 19 of the church, but he did not
listen to them. Indeed, he kept saying, "I am going to become a monk".
His parents would say to him, "Son, you would truly become a monk!
We rejoice that you 20 will be for us seed in Zion and a dwelling-place in

13 Not in Coptic or Ethiopic.

14 In Coptic and Ethiopic: "rich in goods, poor in spirit".

15 Literally "with empty lap". Cf. Job 29,16.

16 Coptic: 2Y TTO - a - ,a - ,CONOC -

17 Presumably a reference to the self-restraint exhibited by Joseph with the wife of
Potiphar cf. Gen. c. 39. In the Coptic and Ethiopic versions Samuel's wisdom is com-
pared with that of Solomon.

18 The Arabic reads hand for kana.

19 nomoc. The Coptic reads: "in holy matrimony according to this world".

20 The Arabic reads yakunu for takunu.

1

<L

4 Uju, i:Ul > s^T CW J^j l^ W*b ^ ^ &r" J

_J r !>UJl ^J Jji ^1 ^ li, J ■ ^ >

j^Cj . jjs-II J>-i l

iTJu f

i 4r- LS*

L.J*p

r^jl CO

r*-.

the heavenly Jerusalem". And after some days his blessed mother died
and left him when he was a boy of 18 years. His father Silas was n
Sea concern because of his son Samawll. He wanted to know truly
SS would happen to him. As he was praying one day at the tfnrd hour
he saw a vision. Behold an Angel of the Lord saxd to him, Peace be
uoon you, Silas the presbyter. Do not fear. The Lord is with y«L
Samaw'l your son will become a chosen monk and receive many in the
Mmof Our Lord Jesus Christ. He will become great fata, tune and fas
memory will continue forever; and he will have blessed

(p. 6) orthodox children. And as for you, presbyter Silas, after some
days you will depart to the Lord in peace". After the Angel had said this
he dis^ared from Silas. When Silas had recovered from the vision, he
reioiced greatly. He thought, saying, "With the help of God I will budd
Ichu^and I will donate to it everything that I possess^ He .started
building the church, and after two years it was completed. He sent to the
Sop A^ba Aghatkn- who consecrated it. His son Samaw il was ap-
nofated deacon^ over it. Everyone testified about him that he lived an
uprtht life- After this the presbyter Silas became ill for eight days- and
did in the peace of God. His son Samawll was twenty years old . He

21 Not in Coptic or Ethiopic.

22 The Arabic reads sammdsan for sammasan.

I ^sS^Sy- when his father died. No figure supplied in
Ethiopic.

THE ARABIC LIFE OF ANBA SAMAWTL OF QALAMUN

327

. s^ji _luj ^ji ^jUiB . -sjija-r.i^iii y^Jij 5 j i^ji j ^u^ r ^. M

*js ^ itol. J <1H J^l JU S^^J *■* 6- ^ ^ -^^ A> ^ C^ 3

L JL^I 4111 S.l>. J=l^ ^ J ^ -"^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ * ^ ^ '^ b

r> Jj^ Ul ^i ^ ill* J» ^ Jo' U» w » J* a*Li -*W» (v)
jji ^ .will fc^J« ^u *so w ^ **j ^ J ^ ^ ^

^jj -^ ^ U1 ^-^ ^ JUi ■^^ , ^ J ^ ^"^ ^ J1 ^

was ready to serve the church in fasting and prayer, purity and faith for
the poor as much as he was able. The Lord stimulated him to take the
monastic vow. He set out for ShThat. When he was about three miles
from his village 25 , God sent an Angel to him in the form of a monk, who
said to him "Where are you from, my son, and where do you want to
go?" Samawll said to him, "God willing, I want the mountain of
ShThat, to become a monk there".

(p 7) The Angel answered him, "That is where I too wish to go!"
The holy Anba Samawll rejoiced and prostrated himself before the An-
gel He said, "I thank God Who has sent you to me that you 26 may be a
help for me until I arrive there". And behold, they prayed and walked
alone* the road, the Angel counselling him and instructing him in the law
of the sacred vow. After a little while, he arrived at the monastery of
Saint Makarius the Luminous 2 *. The Angel said to Samaw fl I know an
old monk in this monastery whose name is Anba Aghathu. He is like the
Angels He can be numbered among the inhabitants of heavenly Jerusa-
lem His name is written in the Book of Life** Come and submit your-

25 Not in Coptic or Ethiopic.

26 The Arabic reads yakunu for takunu.

27 Lit. "the cells".

28 Coptic: "Great". Ethiopic has no epithet.

29 Phil. 4,3-

328

A. ALCOCK

ii->UI IX

■r 31 '

v. ^u .Ji « ^ r ^ ^« ^ ■«>* ^ ^-^ ^ ^ (A)

J^ ii^l oUyl H j .&* ^ «* ^ V*- -> V^-* "^ -> ^ ^ ^ ^
H U^ iftUI «> 0, .^> ^b*^ 01 J>^~» ^ dL'li j^-U ^,

self to him, and he will make you a monk . Anba Samaw il i
himself before him 30 . He said to him, "Do good with me, my lord, in
a "ordance with your teaching'- The Angel took his hand and sard,
"^se Your kingdom is in heaven and on earth. Silas and Kosmiana
h^e preceded you to the kingdom of God- Be strong of heart and do
not let longing for the world overcome you. Keep your body from pollu-
Ton Is you are today". The Angel began to go, following him. The An-
gel stretched his hand and showed him the cell of

(p. 8) our father Anba Aghathu under the small summit. He said, "Go
in he peace of the Lord. He will receive you to him. Listen to this elder
in evening and be zealous in imitating his life and conduct in every-
thing" When the Angel had finished advising him, he spread his lumi-
nouf wings and disappeared. Anba Samaw il, when he saw * « £■»»
of his wings, he said, "I thank You, my Lord Jesus Chnst. You have
made me worthy to see Your holy Angel". When the Angel had left him
I preceded him to the cave of Anba AghathtL He said to him, As the
Lord says to you, receive to yourself Samaw il, for he wiU come to you
presently He is a chosen one like the Apostle Paul. Do not reject hm in
the matter of holy monastictsm. But pray over the hair garment, belt and

30 MenNou frequently used in Greek and Coptic in the sense of "prostration".

THE ARABIC LIFE OF ANBA SAMAW'tL OF QALAMUN

yUl UNI J £ui u-»UI JJjw ^LiJI J

.obi 4-Jj

'i> 4 j>"-J jr*J ^ '-r!r ls^

£_yt«_> dJJ (e^-^*- U;l OjSvJ '-^

JUj .j-^ «J| JJj 5,Ull

ls jlw' uy^J dJUUjI cjaJl aJJI^Lii UIj ,«dUl jlp J-J^w* L diilJ| L~»- ("\)
^jl^j^—j 5 j_r-"J ivj^ijj^i i-J)J i>-l_5 _jJIpI LjI ^li JJLil d-&> jlS' llj ,Jsf-J>^J>j
£-*->■ ^ l!L~»jj dl« LyXj ^j-^jIXy jjjjjjjail jyUI aJ JUj .»-»l)l a~J|_j «4jU
tijju o\j ,*J>\jxS\j £<S J^er* *— ^-1 ls^ «U>_jlj ,itjW (Xiy iM^Uy dJi>
b ^ts ^JJI JU JJj-v Ulj .^0*1 i~~ <_s~- £*»!} (^.1 k J >*l i>i JS" (j*
^iyUI Lib <~i^-. J^j— » LJI ulfj .i-Jtsll 43iljl Jl (jjji^ 61 <~>J\ JUI ibl
<l!l ^IjlS uyjJIj ^LDI JUJI IJL» ^ -uVy stsUJIj *^ailj U>lj dLJIj, ^UNl

cloak, and put them on him. After this, take him into the church and
clothe him in the holy schema. This one will be a true son for you and a
help for your old age. Guide him in certainty to the divine tutorship".
When the Angel had said this to Anba Aghathu, he disappeared from
him. At that moment the youth Samawll knocked, and Anba Aghathu
opened his cell to him and embraced him in joy. He said,

(p. 9) "Welcome, Samawll, servant of God. I thank God Who sent you
to help my weakness and old age". At midnight, Anba Aghathu arose and
took a hair garment and cowl 33 and cloak and went to pray over them and
put them on. He said, "My fathers Antunlus and Maqarlus 34 are with you
and will help you in all your ways and assist you in all your afflictions".
And he advised him to be modest and humble in all things, that he should
say, "Forgive me, my father, and be kind and loving with me and guide
me". Anba Samawll asked the elder, saying, "Father, I ask the Lord to
guide me to his holy wishes". Anba Samawll began to imitate Anba
Aghathu in his faith, asceticism, love, fasting, prayer, abstinence from this
transitory world, standing before God in fear and trembling. The Holy
Spirit helped him in all things and supported him. And, in all this, he

p&i Jjuj .u*U 5^

Ul i>lT lJi£* . 5^.^ <y^ ^-^J <>- ur- ^M ^

^jjj^j

^)\ f >LC r <

jj\ JuSxil ^j^-- *j^j -l*y

Jl ^ n(! JTL ^ (Jj «£-: J Jjj** U^l

^ ^ ^ «J* c bj Ij^Ii! W lylTj ol^Ji J5UJ1 Jl ^ ig~, l«l r«J

looked to the word of his father, like one who looks closely at his field to
pluck from it delicious fruits 35 and like the garden

(p. 10) which awaits its owner until he comes and prunes it so that it
may blossom in the month of Barmudeh. Thus Anba Samawll looked to
the word of God at all times. Most of his reading was from the life of
Saint Antunlus, that he might imitate him in his life 36 . As it is written,
"Remember your teachers who speak with you in the word of the Lord
and imitate their faith" 37 . After three years the Lord visited Anba
Aghathu, and he was ill for three months. Anba Samawll ministered to
him. Then Anba Aghathu died. His spirit was doubled on Anba
Samawll, his spiritual son, like the fathers Ilia and Ilisha 38 . Anba
Samawll increased in his asceticism and did not eat except on Satur-
days 39 . When the Fast of the Forty Days came, he did not taste bread
until Easter Sunday and God blessed him with His love and sweetness
among the rest of his brothers. He became for them a father and com-
forter and he guided them to spiritual virtues. And so they saw the lamp
of his virginity shining in his face and praised God on his account and

35 Coptic: "as a field looks to its sower that he may sow in it good fruit and as vine-
yard waits for its gardener to prune it". Not in Ethiopia

36 Not in Coptic or Ethiopia

37 Not in Coptic. Ethiopic is slightly more elaborate:
mestres, que vos ensinaram a palavra de Deus, porque c
sabedoria espiritual, e alcancaram os bens que ha nos ceus".

» Lit^hewould^ot'Lfe^cept from Saturday to Saturday". Coptic adds: "he would
make two day fasts".

"Lembrate-vos dos vossos
is padres procuraram

THE ARABIC LIFE OF ANBA SAMAW'lL OF QALAMUN

-II J- b

j^ ^ ^>: pijus ovi ^ jjj** vi ^-^i ^^. c^ 1 r 4 ^ ^ ^

L>l yu. . d& U* ^. fJ C--JLI -V^J • V./ t> -^ lt^j ^J «^~^
«L,>Jl ^/J^ o-^ 1 «>f ,Ia J-y ■^" ^ u" ^ ^ ^ ^'
^ . ol^ Jl r aill ^ i**r ««- J-jl fJ. ^ ^1 J^ ^^J

for the many cures which God had bestowed upon him. His fame
reached the cities which were on the coast. They brought the sick

(p. 11) and he prayed over them and healed them. And merchants,
when the storm arose upon them at sea, sought the aid of his faith, and
the wind became calm through the prayers of the holy Anba Samawll.

From now on we shall tell you about his departure from the mountain
of Shlhat and how he came to the bishopric of the Fayyum. And so it
was divine providence that he should come and dwell in the desert of
Qalamun. When Klrillus 40 the liar entered the city of Alexandria, he
searched for Anba Bamamin the Archbishop to arrest and kill him that
he, Klrillus, might occupy his throne. Our Lord Christ did not allow this.
He concealed the Patriarch Banlamln and guided him to Upper Egypt.
After this the Muqauqis 41 occupied the throne of the Patriarch and pub-
lished the Tome of the liar called La'un. He then sent a hundred sol-
diers 42 and the head of his army to Shlhat. He forced upon him the filthy
lying Tome, saying, "Let the strength of your courage appear among the
monks of Shlhat, that they may subscribe to the Tome of La'un and

40 Cyrus the Bishop of Phasis (in the Caucasus), appointed Bishop of Alexandria in
631 by the Emperor Heraclius: his job was to try to persuade the orthodox (non-
Chalcedonian) Egyptians to subscribe to the Monothelite formula devised by Sergius the
Patriarch of Constantinople. The orthodox Egyptians clearly made no d.stmcnon between
this document and the notorious Tome of Leo of the Council of Chalcedon held 180 years
Pre "°In S the Ethiopic the name Maksemyanos is used indiscriminately of the Muqauqis
and the Magldrianus.

42 Coptic and Ethiopic: "200 soldiers".

^ij^j jl^-1 ^ cJeU-1 ^~JI <y i^b jy-iJI £-^ Ui . ^j/ J 1 »^-s*

objii ov-i-^ 1 tol A 4A) c j~* At cr* 1 ^ cK tr-jW'j JJL ^' 5 '^ ^ ■^ Uil

Chalcedon. For the country 43 of Egypt depends upon their opinion. And
also search for Bamamm in the deserts and villages. For while he is still
alive, I cannot achieve the Patriarchate in Alexandria. The hundred sol-
diers and the general came

(p. 12) to Shlhat in great pomp 44 . With him were the hundred sol-
diers, and he entered the church of Abu Maqar. He ordered all the monks
of Shlhat to assemble before him. He sought Anba Yu'anis 45 the
Hegumen of Shlhat. He did not find him, because the property of the
churches in the desert was in his keeping and he therefore went into the
inner desert, where the Berbers found him and took him prisoner back to
their country. When the monks and priests assembled in the church, the
soldiers surrounded them, with their swords in their hands. He then or-
dered them to read the Tome of La un and the letter of the Muqauqis
which he had written to the monks of Shlhat, in which he exhorted them
like the Patriarch. It was his opinion that he would render them ineffec-
tual 46 in his snares and that they would subscribe to the lying Tome. Af-
ter the Tome and the letter had been read out, a deacon began to raise his
voice, saying, "Holy fathers and monks, put your trust in the text of this

44 XW?X -

45 Ethiopic: "Paul". The variations of this name that occur later on in the text (p. 31
ff )■ Martyrius Syrian!, Ta'rikh Dair Al-Anba Yuhannis Kama al-Qadlm (Cairo, 1992)
p. 15 points out that Yu'anis reflects the Bohairic itDiNNHC and Yuhannis the Saldic

46 There is an asterisk in front of this word in the manuscript.

THE ARABIC LIFE OF ANBA SAMAWlL OF QALAMUN 333

LjLHj Jji _jAj £yj; *Jj *S 1( ^ij »J~>H Jj l_fSLi .^^jjaJl li* ^ <_j_j»IIj \y+$
\"Sj>- JU>- L _ r ,j}[ iJ Ap r l> .Jill jl_j ■ ■ • o-L^lj 4_<Jjf -_g^. «^_-j -4* . illij S;J15 (jwJLiJl

^1 Luii; j^-UJ o^tAil illal^JI l^l OjSL- «s»l I3U »^J JUj .^jj^^iJ x4-lylj

4__iJ JL_J -l«l-l_> J^-^ Lil u- -"^ 1 ("^ CijUj .^U-JI dii- J* *&»1* Ji^l

^ji^LLl IJla J_L V LI JpI dU Jjii jl Ojy f-UJJ Jllj Uju. UUI jp Or)

iiyjii L) ^-Jj ..O ^1 L»l» Jl <U »U-j <U^ LjiJI ^JJiS^ ^ 4jU 4, J^Jj Nj

iJjJil i»Jat j>-j lAjli ijb-»l ^s- j^j ^jJljjJ-^-U <i_lp (jj — £^=»- .Oy^r-i V ^_f.' *^i

Jj-I ^ ^j iiiL-1 jl OjC-~i Ul ^-jJLjJ— >-U Jlij _Ui_»l JJ^ws Li I jlj .j-iJlj
.dJJ *JUil Ul <j dL'li gpp ^lil ^JLJ-I ^ill IJU j-yLyJU^-ii JUj .i-oill iUVI
^j^J L/ ->JI aJjU_, <u^ u^- ^-l^j .<iWi ^J^lj v c_j^ ^jWi LU ^JjU

Tome". They were silent and made no reply. He then raised his voice,
saying, "Holy fathers", a second and a third time. But he heard not a
single word from them. The general Magdrianus 47 became very angry
and ordered the soldiers to beat them. He said to them, "Why are you
silent, you accursed heretics. Perhaps you think that I will spare you
from bloodshed". Then the holy Anba Samawll stood up and prepared
to deliver himself

(p. 13) through the faith in Our Lord. He said to the general,
"<What> do you want us to say to you? Know that we shall not accept
this document nor shall we believe in it, for it is polluted and moreover
the one who has carried and brought it here is even more polluted than
the document itself. We have no Patriarch except Abuna Baniamin".
Magldrlanus then became angry with him and ground his teeth, saying,
"By the majesty of kings, you shall be the first to subscribe to this
Tome, otherwise I shall cut off your head with the sword, for you
have initiated evil". Anba Samawll prepared himself and said to
Magldrlanus 48 , "I am ready to shed my blood for the holy faith". And he
said to Magldrlanus, "This is a trifling matter that is bothering you. I
shall do it for you. Hand over this Tome to me that I may subscribe to it
and satisfy your heart". At that moment his anger subsided and he gave
him the Tome that he might subscribe to it. When Anba Samawll took

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this Tome and handed it to the people, he said, "Accursed is this Tome
and accursed is La un and those who agree with him and excommuni-
cated are all Chalcedonians ! " And so he hastened to cut up the Tome
and throw it at the door of the church . When Magldrlanus saw this, he
roared like a mountain boar and began

(p. 14) to beat some of them with his hands. He ordered four 49 of the
soldiers to beat him. And so they took him into the middle and beat him
with firm scourges until his blood flowed like water. Magldrlanus also
approached him and beat him with his hand until he was near death. Af-
ter this, he ordered that Samawll be stripped of his clothes and bound
with a strip of leather. His feet were also tied with leather and he was
suspended upside down on his head. And he ordered four 50 of the sol-
diers to beat him. While they were beating him, a thong unexpectedly
struck his eye 51 , which was torn out and fell upon his cheek. The lying
Magldrlanus, when he saw the eye of the saint falling out, his heart re-
lented immediately. His anger abated and he ordered them to release
him. He said to the holy man, "Your eye that has fallen out has saved
you, Tawadusy monk 52 . He then ordered twelve soldiers, and they drove
him from the mountain of Shlhat.

49 Also in Ethiopic. In the Coptic version there are ten soldiers, and the magistrianus
does not personally take part in the beating.

50 No figure in Coptic; "two" in Ethiopic.

51 Coptic and Ethiopic specify "right eye".

52 The Coptic version uses the term NeiyciiNOC, which makes no sense as it

To be continued in Part 2.